Apparatus, method and system for creating, handling, collecting and indexing seed and seed portions from plant seed

ABSTRACT

An apparatuses, methods and systems for creating, handling and collecting seed portions are highly beneficial. The apparatus includes a carrier having one or more carrying positions adapted to carry a seed. The carrying positions having a seed orienter adapted to orient the seed relative to the carrying position in the carrier for creating seed portions therefrom. The method includes taking a carrier having one or more carrying positions, orienting a seed relative to the carrying position in the carrier, ablating the seed with a seed ablation device, and communicating seed portions through a manifold into a compartment layer. The system includes a seed manifold adapted to dock thereon a seed carrier having pre-positioned and pre-oriented seed therein. Seed and seed portions removed from the seed in the carrier are communicated into a collector and compartment layer respectively using the seed manifold.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/336,084, filed Dec. 16, 2008, which claims priority under 35U.S.C. §119 of a provisional application Ser. No. 61/014,366 filed Dec.17, 2007, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus, method andsystem for creating, collecting and indexing seed portions fromindividual seed in an efficient way.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is conventional practice in plant breeding or plant advancementexperiments to grow plants from seed of known parentage. The seed areplanted in experimental plots, growth chambers, greenhouses, or othergrowing conditions in which they are either cross pollinated with otherplants of known parentage or self pollinated. The resulting seed are theoffspring of the two parent plants or the self pollinated plant, and areharvested, processed and planted to continue the plant breeding cycle.Specific laboratory or field-based tests may be performed on the plants,plant tissues, seed or seed tissues, in order to aid in the breeding oradvancement selection process.

Generations of plants based on known crosses or self pollinations areplanted and then tested to see if these lines or varieties are movingtowards characteristics that are desirable in the marketplace. Examplesof desirable traits include, but are not limited to, increased yield,increased homozygosity, improved or newly conferred resistance and/ortolerance to specific herbicides and/or pests and pathogens, increasedoil content, altered starch content, nutraceutical composition, droughttolerance, and specific morphological based trait enhancements.

As can be appreciated and as is well known in the art, these experimentscan be massive in scale. They involve a huge labor force ranging fromscientists to field staff to design, plant, maintain, and conduct theexperiments, which can involve thousands or tens of thousands ofindividual plants. They also require substantial land resources. Plotsor greenhouses can take up thousands of acres of land. Not only doesthis tie up large amounts of land for months while the plants germinate,grow, and produce seed, during which time they may be sampled forlaboratory or field testing, but then the massive amounts of seed mustbe individually tagged, harvested and processed.

A further complication is that much of the experimentation goes fornaught. It has been reported in the literature that some seed companiesdiscard 80-90% of the plants in any generation early on in theexperiment. Thus, much of the land, labor and material resourcesexpended for growing, harvesting, and post-harvest processing ultimatelyare wasted for a large percentage of the seed.

Timing pressures are also a factor. Significant advances in plantbreeding have put more pressure on seed companies to more quicklyadvance lines or varieties of plants for more and better traits andcharacteristics. The plant breeders and associated workers are thusunder increasing pressure to more efficiently and effectively processthese generations and to make more and earlier selections of plantswhich should be continued into the next generation of breeding.

Therefore, a movement towards earlier identification of traits ofinterest through laboratory based seed testing has emerged. Seed isnon-destructively tested to derive genetic, biochemical or phenotypicinformation. If traits of interest are identified, the selected seedfrom specific plants are used either for further experiments andadvancement, or to produce commercial quantities. Testing seed preventsthe need to grow the seed into immature plants, which are then tested.This saves time, space, and effort. If effective, early identificationof desirable traits in seed can lead to greatly reducing the amount ofland needed for experimental testing, the amount of seed that must betested, and the amount of time needed to derive the information neededto advance the experiments. For example, instead of thousands of acresof plantings and the subsequent handling and processing of all thoseplants, a fraction of acres and plants might be enough. However, becausetiming is still important, this is still a substantial task because evensuch a reduction involves processing, for example, thousands of seed perday.

A conventional method of attempting non-lethal seed sampling is asfollows. A single seed of interest is held with pliers above a sheet ofpaper laid out on a surface. A small drill bit is used to drill into asmall location on the seed. Debris removed by the drill bit from theseed is collected of the sheet of paper. The paper is lifted and thedebris is transferred to a test tube or other container. It is thuscollected and ready for laboratory analysis. The seed is stored inanother container. The two containers, housing the seed and sample, areindexed or correlated for tracking purposes. This method is intended tobe non-lethal to the seed. However, the process is slow. Its success andeffectiveness depends heavily on the attention and accuracy of theworker. Each single seed must be manually picked up and held by thepliers. The drilling is also manual. Care must be taken with thedrilling and the handling of the debris, as well as insuring that thefull sample amount is transferred into a container and the seed fromwhich the sample was taken into another container. These two containers,e.g. the individual test tubes, must then be handled and marked orotherwise tracked and identified. Additionally, the pliers and drillmust be cleaned between the sampling of each seed. There can besubstantial risk of contamination by carry-over from sample to sampleand the manual handling. Also, many times it is desirable to obtain seedmaterial from a certain physiological tissue of the seed. For example,with corn seed, it may be desirable to take the sample from theendosperm. It such cases, it is not trivial, but rather istime-consuming and somewhat difficult, to manually grasp a small cornseed is such a way to allow the endosperm to be oriented to expose itfor drilling. Sampling from other seed structures such as the seed germmust be avoided because sampling from such regions of the seednegatively impacts germination rates. Sometimes it is difficult toobtain a useful amount of sample with this method. In summary, samplingfrom seed relies heavily on the skill of the worker and is relative tothroughput and accuracy, including whether the procedure gives the seeda good chance at germination. These issues are amplified when a workeris charged with processing many seed a day.

As evidenced by these examples, present conventional seed analysismethods, such as is used in genetic, biochemical, or phenotypicanalysis, require at least a part of the seed to be removed andprocessed. In removing a portion of the seed, various objectives mayneed to be met. These may include one or more of the followingobjectives:

-   (a) maintain seed viability post-sampling if required;-   (b) obtain at least a minimum required sample amount, without    affecting viability;-   (c) obtain a sample from a specific location on the seed, often    requiring the ability to efficiently position and orient the seed in    a specific position and orientation for sampling;-   (d) maintain a particular throughput level for efficiency purposes;-   (e) reduce or virtually eliminate contamination between samples;-   (f) maintain an efficient and controlled post-sampling handling    regimen and environment to move and collect seed portion and seed    after sampling; and-   (g) allow for the tracking of separate samples and their correlation    to other samples in a group.

Viability

With regard to maintaining seed viability, it may be critical in somecircumstances that the seed sampling method and apparatus not damage theseed in such a way that seed viability is reduced. It is often desirablethat such analysis be non-lethal to the seed, or at least result in asubstantial probability that the sampled seed will germinate (e.g. nosignificant decrease in germination potential) so that it can be growninto a mature plant. For some analyses, seed viability does not need tobe maintained, in which case larger samples can often be taken. The needfor seed viability will depend on the intended use of the seedspost-sampling.

Sample Amount

It is desirable to obtain a useful amount of sample. To be useful, insome applications it must be above a certain minimum amount necessary inorder to perform a given test and obtain a meaningful result. Differenttests or assays require different sample amounts. It may be equallyimportant to avoid taking too much tissue for a sample, because a samplethat is too large may reduce germination potential of a seed, which maybe undesirable. Therefore, it is desirable that sampling apparatus,methods and systems allow for variation in the amount of sample takenfrom any given seed.

Sample Location

A useful sample amount also can involve sample location accuracy. Forexample, in some applications the sample must come only from a certainlocation or from certain tissue. Further, it is difficult to handlesmall particles like many seed. It is also difficult to accuratelyposition and orient seed. On a corn seed, for example, it may beimportant to sample the endosperm tissue, and orient the corn seed forsampling that particular tissue. Therefore, it is desirable thatsampling apparatus, methods and systems are adapted to allow for highthroughput seed positioning and orientation of seed forlocation-specific sampling, which may include seed orientationapparatuses, methods and systems with architecture and steps adapted toposition and orient seed in a predetermined orientation.

Throughput

A sampling apparatus and methodology must consider the throughput levelthat supports the required number of samples being taken in a timeefficient manner. For example, some situations involve the potentialneed to sample thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions ofseed per year. Taking the hypothetical example of a million seed peryear, and a 5-day work week, this would average nearly four thousandsamples per day for each working day of a year. It is difficult to meetsuch demand with lower throughput sampling methods. Accordingly, higherthroughput, automatic or even semi-automatic methods are desirable.

Avoiding Contamination

It is desirable that a sampling methodology and apparatus not be proneto cross-contamination in order to maintain sample purities forsubsequent analytical testing procedures. This can involve not onlysample location accuracy, such that a sample from a given location isnot contaminated with tissue from a different location, but also themethod of sampling and the handling of each individual sample, ensuringno contamination between samples.

Handling (Post-Sampling)

With higher throughput as an objective, it is important thatconsideration be given to maintaining an efficient and controlledpost-sampling handling regimen and environment to move and collect theseed portion and seed after sampling. Such post-sampling operationsshould ensure each operation is devoid of contamination. Depending onthe tool used to remove a portion of the seed, such as a laser, furtherconsideration need to be given to how the seed and seed portion arehandled and collected to insure viability is preserved, contamination islimited and indexing of seed and seed portions is accurate.

Indexing (Tracking) Sample and Sampled Seed

Efficient processing of seed and samples removed from seed presents avariety of issues and challenges, especially when it is important tokeep track of each seed, each sample, and their correlation to eachother, or to other samples. Accordingly, it is desirable that a samplingapparatus, methods and systems allow for easy tracking of seed andsamples.

Conventional seed sampling technologies do not address theserequirements sufficiently, resulting in pressures on capital and laborresources, and thus illustrate the need for an improvement in the stateof the art. The current apparatuses, methods and systems are relativelylow throughput, have substantial risk of cross-contamination, and tendto be inconsistent because of a reliance on significant manual handling,orienting, removal and post-handling of the sample and the seed. Thiscan affect the type of sample taken from the seed and the likelihoodthat the seed will germinate. There is a need to eliminate the resourcescurrent methods require for cleaning between samples. There is a need toreduce or minimize cross-contamination between samples by carry-over orother reasons, or any contamination from any source of any sample. Thereis also a need for more reliability and accuracy. Accordingly, there isa need for methodologies and systems and their corresponding apparatuseswhich provide for seed sampling that accomplishes one or more of thefollowing objectives:

-   (a) maintain seed viability post-sampling if required;-   (b) obtain at least a minimum required sample amount, without    affecting viability;-   (c) obtain a sample from a specific location on the seed, often    requiring the ability to efficiently position and orient the seed in    a specific position and orientation for sampling;-   (d) maintain a particular throughput level for efficiency purposes;-   (e) reduce or virtually eliminate contamination between samples;-   (f) maintain an efficient and controlled post-sampling handling    regimen and environment to move and collect seed portion and seed    after sampling; and-   (g) allow for the tracking of separate samples and their correlation    to other samples in a group.

Some of these objectives that are desirable when sampling seed can beconflicting and even antagonistic. For example, high throughputmethodologies may require relatively rapid operation but with relativelyhigh accuracy and low contamination risk, such that they must be donemore slowly than is technically possible. These multiple objectives havetherefore existed in the art and have not been satisfactorily addressedor balanced by the currently available apparatuses, methods and systems.There is a need in the art to overcome the above-described types ofproblems such that the maximum number of objectives is realized in anygiven embodiment.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Apparatuses, methods and systems for positioning, orienting, creating,handling, collecting, and indexing seed portions, including viable seedportions, from plant seed is disclosed. In one general example of theapparatus, the apparatus includes a carrier having a feature forpositioning and orienting seed, a seed portion or the like. Seedportions may be taken from seed in carrier. One or more manifolds aid inseparating, collecting and indexing seed and seed portions in anefficient and high throughput manner.

A general example of a method for positioning, orienting, creating,handling, collecting, and indexing seed portions, including viable seedportions, from plant seeds is also disclosed. The method may includepositioning and orienting seed relative to carrying positions within acarrier, ablating the seed with a seed ablation device, separating,collecting and indexing seed and seed portions using a manifold in acollector and compartment layer.

A general example of a system for positioning, orienting, creating,handling, collecting, and indexing seed portions, including viable seedportions, from plant seeds is also disclosed. The system may include acarrier adapted to retain seed in a desirable position and orientation,a seed ablation device, a manifold adapted to handle, collect and indexseed and seed portions (post-sampling) into one or more containers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overview of the apparatuses, methods and systems used forcreating viable seed portions from plant seeds according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the manifold, carrier, compartment layer,and jig assembled together according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4A is an isometric view of the compartment layer and jig accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is an isometric view of the jig according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4C is an isometric view of the compartment layer according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is an isometric view of the carrier according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a cross-section view of the carrier taken along line 5B-5B inFIG. 5A.

FIG. 6A is a cross-section view taken along line 6A-6A in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6B is an isometric view of one example of a tool for displacingretained seed portions shown in FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7A is an isometric view of another exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7B is a cross-section view taken along line 7B-7B in FIG. 7A.

FIG. 7C is an isometric view of another example of a tool for displacingretained seed portions shown in FIG. 6A.

FIG. 8A is an isometric view of a spacer plate according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8B is a plan view of the spacer plate shown in FIG. 8A.

FIG. 9A is an isometric view of a reducer plate according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9B is a plan view of the spacer plate shown in FIG. 9A.

FIG. 9C is a section view taken along line 9C-9C in FIG. 9B.

FIG. 10A is an isometric view of the another manifold according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10B is a top view of the manifold shown in FIG. 8A.

FIG. 10C is a bottom view of the manifold shown in FIG. 8A.

FIG. 11A is an isometric view of the collector according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view of the collector taken along line11B-11B in FIG. 11A.

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of the carrier and another manifoldaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13A is an isometric view of the manifold shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 13B is a section view taken along line 13B-13B in FIG. 13A.

FIG. 14 is an isometric view of the shelf plate shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is a section view taken along line 15-15 in FIG. 12.

FIG. 16A is a section isometric view taken along line 16A-16A in FIG.12.

FIG. 16B is a section side elevation view taken along line 16B-16B inFIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Overview

For a better understanding of the invention, several exemplaryembodiments will now be described in detail. It is to be understood thatthese are but several forms the invention can take and do not limit theinvention. Reference will be taken from time-to-time to the appendeddrawings. Reference numerals are used to indicate certain parts andlocations in the drawings. The same reference numerals will indicate thesame parts and locations throughout the drawings unless otherwiseindicated.

The context of these specific examples will be with respect to kernelsof corn. It is to be understood, however, that this example is onlyintended to illustrate one application of the invention. The inventioncan be utilized for other seed and other objects. The range of sizes canvary as well as the nature of the object. As will be understood by oneof skill in the art, the embodiments of the invention will be used withseed that are of convenient size to be sampled. Some seed are extremelyfine and small, somewhat like dust particles or grains of salt, whileothers are particularly large and hard, such as the seed from theLodoicea maldivica palm, which are 20 to 24 pounds in weight. One ofskill in the art recognizes that seed intended to be used with theembodiments of the invention must be of a size and weight that allowconvenient sampling with the apparatus of the embodiments. Such seedinclude, but are not limited to, many agriculturally important seed suchas seed from maize (corn), soybean, Brassica species, canola, cerealssuch as wheat, oats or other grains, and various types of vegetable andornamental seed. Analogous applications will be obvious from thisexample and variations obvious to those skilled in the art will beincluded.

Reference will be made to samples taken from a seed as seed portions.The seed portion that has been taken can also be referred to usingdifferent terms, such as, for example, seed sample, seed tissue sample,seed chip, seed snip, seed sliver, seed clip or clipping, and viableseed portion.

Apparatus

FIG. 1 illustrates many different exemplary apparatuses of the presentinvention for positioning and orienting seed for creating, partitioning,sorting, handling, collecting and indexing seed and viable seed portionsor the like from plant seed. The apparatuses in FIG. 1 teach in thebroadest sense, structure adapted to position and orient seed in apredetermined orientation so that an operation to remove a seed portionfrom each seed may be accomplished in an efficient, non-lethal,non-contaminating and high throughput manner. Some other structure, orthe same structure used to position and orient seed, may also be used tohandle the seed and seed portions (post-sampling) in an efficient,non-lethal, non-contaminating and high throughput manner. These samestructures or some additional structure may be also be used to index orcorrelate seed and seed portions in an efficient, non-lethal,non-contaminating and high throughput manner.

Generally illustrated in FIG. 1, by way of exemplary apparatuses, isapparatus 10 having a manifold 12, carrier 14, jig 16, and compartmentlayer 18. Apparatus 10 is best illustrated in FIGS. 2-5B. FIG. 12 showsanother apparatus 200 having another manifold 210 with theaforementioned carrier 14 and configured with a slot 222 to accommodatejig 16 and compartment layer 18 within the body of manifold 210. Detailsand description for manifold 10 will follow with details and descriptionfor manifold 210 thereafter. According to one general aspect of thepresent invention, apparatus 10 may include a carrier 14. Carrier 14 isbest illustrated in FIGS. 2, 5A and 5B. Carrier 14 is preferably aplanar member and may be constructed of plate members 60. Carrier 14 maybe constructed of a single unitary plate member 60 or a pair of platemembers 60 sandwiched together to form the carrier 14. In the preferredembodiment, carrier 14 is constructed or fabricated of a materialcapable of withstanding any erosional, degradative or destructiveproperties associated with various methods used for seed ablation. Forexample, carrier 14 may be fabricated of a metal alloy, steel, compositematerial, or the like.

Carrier 14 has a plurality of apertures 20 formed through platemember(s) 60. In a preferred form, each aperture 20 is formed so as topass through the entirety of the plate member(s) 60. It should beappreciated by those skilled in the art that apertures 20 need not passthrough the entirety of plate member(s) 60. For example, if a pair ofplate members 60 are used, aperture 20 could pass through the entiretyof the uppermost plate and a portion of the lower plate to form a pocketin the lower plate whereby seed and seed portions may be housed in theuppermost plate and collected in the pocket in the lower plate asdesired. In another embodiment, the lower plate could be adapted toselectively move a planar gate relative to apertures 20 to present anopen and closed aperture 20. In the closed position, seed and seedportions could be collected in the lower plate; alternatively, in theopen position, seed and seed portions could be released from orcommunicated through the lower plate. The aperture 20 may be formed inthe carrier 14 by drilling, machining, etching, or any other techniquesuitable for creating the plurality of apertures 20 in a predictable,pattern-like formation. For example, the plurality of apertures 20 maybe formed in a row 28, column 30 formations whereby each aperture 20 isuniquely identifiable and/or positionally addressable. Alternatively, asingle oblong aperture or a set of oblong apertures may be fashionedinto carrier 14 by row or columns to provide single or multiple channelsadapted to carry one or more seeds or seed portions. FIG. 5A showscarrier 14 in a twelve (12) aperture/row by eight (8) aperture/columnconfiguration for a total of ninety-six (96) apertures. It should beappreciated that carrier 14 is not limited to the configuration shown inthe drawings. Alternative configurations, not limited to row, column orspecific number of apertures 20, could be used as best suited for thevarious applications.

Each aperture 20 is preferably formed having one or more carryingposition(s) 22. Each carrying position 22 is adapted to house, receive,orient or position seed 34 relative to some local or global coordinaterelative to the carrying position 22 and/or carrier 14. For example,each seed 34 could be oriented relative to a sidewall 26 of aperture 20.The carrying position 22 may be specially shaped to the contour of seed34 or otherwise to aid in orienting seed 34 at carrying position 22. Inanother aspect of the present invention, a seed orienter 24 may beassociated with each aperture 20 orient seed 34 or govern theorientation of seed 34 relative to each carrying position 22. FIG. 5Bshows a magnet positioned between sidewall 26 of a pair of apertures 20.The magnet is one example of a seed orienter 24 suitable for orientingseed 34. Each aperture 20 could be configured with a magnet or share amagnet with another aperture as shown in FIG. 5B. Alternatively, theseed orienter 24 may be a separate or different material than platemember(s) 60 whereby the seed orienter 24 exhibits retentive-likeproperties capable of adhering to or retaining seed 34 at a specificposition relative to aperture 20. For example, vacuum ports, grippers orany type of sticky or self adhering surface could be incorporated intoeach aperture 20 to retain and orient seed 34. In sum, the carrier 14provides a self-aligning, self-orientating, and self-positioning featurewhereby each seed 34 may be identically positioned, aligned or orientedin a carrying position 22 relative to one or more features of thecarrier 14, such as sidewall 26 of each aperture 20. For example, it maybe said that carrier 14 provides fixturing or a jig for receiving,handling, orienting, and retaining seed 34 at a specific, predictable,and desired space or location relative to carrier 14.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, carrier 14 isconstructed so as to be portable. In another aspect of the presentinvention, carrier 14 is fashioned so as to be dockable on anotherstructure such as manifold 12, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, manifold 102,shown in FIGS. 6A, 7C, 10AC, or manifold 210, shown in FIG. 12. Tofacilitate docking, more specifically, aligning, carrier 14 relative tomanifold 12, 102, aperture 62, formed through carrier 14, mates withalignment pin 66, 112 in manifold 12, 102 to thereby orient carrier 14relative to manifold 12, 102 to dock carrier 14 with manifold 12, 102.Alternatively, aperture 68, 114 may be formed in manifold 12, 102.Apertures 68, 114 may be adapted to receive and house alignment pins 66,112. Alignment pins 66, 112 may be positioned through apertures 62 incarrier 14 to thereby orient and dock carrier 14 with manifold 12, 102.In another aspect of the present invention, alignment pins 66, 112 maybe removable from aperture 68, 114 and/or may be formed as a singleunitary piece with carrier 14 or manifold 12, 102. The present inventioncontemplates that manifold 12, 102 could include, separately or inaddition to alignment pins 66, 112 in manifold 12, 102, an extruded bossto positively position carrier 14 with respect to manifold 12, 102 whenthe two are docked together.

FIGS. 2 and 3 best illustrate one exemplary embodiment of manifold 12 ofthe present invention. Similar to carrier 14, manifold 12 may beconstructed from like materials. Preferably, manifold 12 has a topsurface 70 suitable to dock carrier 14 thereupon. Considerations may begiven to the bottom surface 72 of manifold 12 to facilitate dockingmanifold 12 within an ablation device, such as the ablation device 36shown in FIG. 1. For example, bottom surface 72 of the manifold 12 mayinclude self-leveling and/or self-aligning features, whereby manifold 12may be aligned or leveled relative to the ablation device 36 or otherlocal and/or global coordinates. One or more self-positioning, aligningor leveling plates (not shown) may be included for use inself-positioning, aligning and/or leveling manifold 12 relative to thesupport deck of the ablation device 36. For example, the plate could bemilled with a slight pitch which causes manifold 12 to automaticallyslide into a desired position within and relative to ablation device 36to thereby ensure ablation consistency.

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, manifold 12 has a plurality of conduits38 extending there through from top surface 70 through bottom surface72. In the preferred form, each inlet 74 of the plurality of conduits 38in manifold 12 has the same pattern, size and shape as the plurality ofapertures 20 in carrier 14. Thus, inlet 74 of each conduit 38 inmanifold 12 mates, aligns, and is in communication with aperture 20 incarrier 14 to allow uninterrupted transfer of seed portions 42 throughaperture 20 into conduit 38 in manifold 12.

Each conduit 38 has sidewalls 40. Sidewalls 40 could be linear andcylindrical whereby energy from the ablation device 36 passes throughthe entirety of manifold 12 and diffuses within the ablation device 36.Compartment layer 18 could be inserted after ablation to prevent anydamage to the compartment layer 18. In a preferred form, sidewalls 40are contoured or shaped so as to diffuse energy from the ablation device36 to prevent energy beam 46 from traveling intact from the inlet 74 ofthe conduit 38, through the conduit 38 and outlet 76. For example, asshown in FIG. 3, sidewalls 40 of conduit 38 in manifold 12 are contouredin shape so that energy beam 46 from ablation device 36 is reduced todiffracted energy 44 or diffused to prevent energy beam 46 fromtraveling intact through the conduit 38 and out outlet 76. In oneaspect, sidewalls 40 of each conduit may be fashioned in a cylindrical,helical, conical, or other shape to sufficiently diffuse energy from theablation device 36. The present invention contemplates other diffusiontechniques. For example, sidewall 40 or a portion thereof could be madeto be coarse, as opposed to being smooth, to diffuse energy from theablation device 36. Sidewall 40 or a portion thereof could also becoated or anodized to thereby diffuse or absorb energy from the ablationdevice 36. Abutments or projections originating in sidewall 40 andextending into conduit 38 could also serve to diffuse energy, but notinterrupt the communication of seed and seed portions through manifold12. Thus, as energy beam 46 from ablation device 36 travels throughaperture 20 and carrier 14, energy beam 46 is deflected and diffractedoff of and between sidewalls 40 of conduit 38 to sufficiently diffuseenergy from the ablation device 36 to prevent destruction, damage, orfailure of compartment layer 18, as well as damage to seed or seedportions to maintain viability.

In another aspect of the present invention, each outlet 76 of eachconduit 38 in manifold 12 is open to a slot 58 near the bottom surface72 of manifold 12. The slot 58 in manifold 12 is fashioned so as toreceive compartment layer 18 supported by jig 16, as best illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3. Compartment layer 18 has a plurality of compartments 48which preferably exhibit the identical pattern of the plurality ofconduits 38 in manifold 12 and the plurality of apertures 20 in carrier14. Furthermore, the plurality of compartments 48 in compartment layer18 may each be uniquely identifiable and/or positionally addressable byrow 54 and column 56 as best illustrated in FIG. 4C. Like carrier 14,compartment layer 18 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG.4C. The present invention contemplates compartment layer 18 taking onvarious configurations best suited for the specific application. By wayof example, compartment layer 18 could be modeled to conform to thevarious shapes, configurations or designs of carrier 14. Alternatively,compartment layer 18 could be shaped and configured, unlike carrier 14,with emphasis given to post-handling considerations after removal ofcompartment layer 18 from the manifold 12. Although not shown, manifold12 may also include a clip or other attachment means that could be usedto hold seed ID information. This is useful because information aboutthe seed stays with the seed during the entire process until it mayultimately be used to label both the compartment layer 18 containing thesampled seed and collector 104 having the seed samples. The top surface122 of manifold 12 may also include a small tray-like groove (notshown). The tray-like groove may be used to hold a portion or reserve ofextra seed that came from the same source as the seed being sampled.This way manual sampling of seed from this small batch could occur,allowing the process of ablation and collection to continue, if the userapproaches the end of the ablation and collection process and there aresampled seed or samples of seed that are missing. This maintains processflow by eliminating the need for the operator or user to track back tothe source of seed being sampled when the user is near the end of theprocess. The small batch of seed can in most cases be disposed of if notused.

Jig 16 as shown in FIG. 4B has a plurality of apertures 50 exhibitingthe same identical pattern of the plurality of compartments 48 of thecompartment layer 18. Thus, in the preferred form, jig 16 is adapted toreceive compartment layer 18 whereby compartment layer 18 is positionedon the top 78 of jig 16 with the plurality of compartments 48 of thecompartment layer 18 being received within the plurality of apertures 50in the jig 16. Jig 16 may be made up of one or more layers of the sameor differing materials to facilitate better fit between the top 78 ofjig 16 and compartment layer 18. Additional layers could also be ofmaterial types providing a better and more even support base forcompartment layer 18. For example, a layer of felt, such as a ⅛″ thicklayer of F-13 felt, could be added to the top 78 of jig 16. The layer offelt could be used to help facilitate a more even seal across the entirecompartment layer 18, such as during a heat sealing a backing tocompartment layer 18. Other positionally adjustable and/or orientativefeatures may also be configured into jig 16. Jig 16 may have one or morecorners having a notch 52 and/or aperture 64. These features 52, 64 maybe used to orient jig 16 within slot 58 of the manifold 12, orientcompartment layer 18 relative to jig 16 and/or orient compartment layer18 and jig 16 relative to some other structure and/or apparatus used tofacilitate purposes befitting of the compartment layer 18 or the jig 16.Positioned within slot 58 in manifold 12, the plurality of compartments48 of compartment layer 18 are aligned with the outlet 76 of theplurality of conduits 38 in the manifold 12. Thus, when carrier 14 isdocked on manifold 12 and compartment layer 18 is positioned within slot58, a throughway 86, as shown in FIG. 3, is formed from aperture 20 incarrier 14 through inlet 74 and conduit 38, out outlet 76 intocompartment 48 within compartment layer 18. Using throughway 86, seedportion 42 formed from ablating seed 34 is communicated from aperture 20in carrier 14 through conduit 38 in manifold 12 into compartment 48 incompartment layer 18, as best illustrated in FIG. 3. Retained seedportions 32 may be held at their respective carrying position 22 withinaperture 20 of carrier 14 by a seed orienter 24. Carrier 14 may beundocked or removed from manifold 12. In the preferred form, carrier 14is undocked or removed from manifold 12 having retained seed portions 32at each carrying position 22 within aperture 20 of the carrier 14.

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the ablation device 36 of thepresent invention. Ablation device 36 is of the type which iscommercially available. Ablation device 36 has a bed 230 supportingapparatus positioned within the ablation device 36. Bed 230 may beconfigured to dissipate the laser and prevent the laser from beingreflected in undesirable directions. For example, laser beam from laser88 may travel through a 2″ honeycomb layer and onto a black anodizedtray at the bed 230 of the ablation device 36. It may be approximately3-4″ below the honeycomb where the manifold 210 actually rests upon somesupporting structure in bed 230. One example of an ablation device 36could be a 75 watt Epilog 36 EXT laser CO2 engraving, cutting, andmarking system available at Epilog Laser • 16371 Table Mountain Parkway• Golden, Colo. 80403.

FIGS. 1 and 6A illustrate another apparatus 100 of the presentinvention. Apparatus 100 has a manifold 102 in communication with acollector 104 retained by a frame 106. Frame 106 may be supported bybase 144. Similar to manifold 12, manifold 102 may have one or more pins112 positioned within apertures 114 and adapted to facilitate aligning,orienting, or docking carrier 14 on top surface 122 of manifold 102.Thus, carrier 14 may be undocked from manifold 12 and redocked onmanifold 102. Illustrated by FIGS. 10A-10C, manifold 102 configured witha plurality of conduits 108 extending through the body of manifold 102from top surface 122 to bottom surface 124. Thus, the plurality ofconduits 108 extending through the body of the manifold 102 have aninlet 146 at the top surface 122 and an outlet 148 at the bottom surface124. Furthermore, as best illustrated in FIG. 6A, a portion of themanifold 102 near the top surface 122 has a larger cross-sectional area116 which tapers in a hopper-shape-like manner to a smallercross-sectional area 118 near the bottom surface 124 of the manifold102. Each of the plurality of conduits 108 extending through manifold102 have sidewalls 126 which preferably taper to follow the contour ofthe body of the manifold 102 from the larger cross-sectional area 116 tothe smaller cross-sectional area 118. In another aspect of the presentinvention, the plurality of conduits 108 may have a continuallynarrowing cross-sectional area or tapering sidewall 126 from the topsurface 122 to the bottom surface 124 of the manifold 102. Similar tomanifold 12, the plurality of conduits 108 in manifold 102 have anidentical pattern as the plurality of apertures 20 in carrier 14 so thatthe plurality of apertures 20 in carrier 14 are in communication withthe plurality of conduits 108 in manifold 102. It is preferred that themanifold 102 is supported by frame 106 so that carrier 14 may be dockedand undocked from manifold 102.

In another aspect of the present invention, manifold 102 has a slot 120fashioned in the bottom surface 124. Slot 120 formed in the bottomsurface 124 of manifold 102 receives and houses collector 104. As bestillustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, collector 104 has a plurality ofcompartments 128. In the preferred form, the plurality of compartments128 in the collector 104 are open at the top surface 134 and closed atthe bottom surface 136. The plurality of compartments 128 in collector104 are in communication with the outlet 148 of the plurality ofconduits 108 near the bottom surface 124 of manifold 102. Eachcompartment 128 may be uniquely identifiable and/or positionallyaddressable by row 130 and column 132 or otherwise. Collector 104 mayhave orienting and/or position indicating features such as notchedcorner 138. Notched corner 138 may be used to correctly orient andposition collector 104 within slot 120 of manifold 102 so that theplurality of compartments 128 are in communication with the plurality ofconduits 108 at the outlet 148 of manifold 102 when collector 104 ispositioned within slot 120 as shown in FIG. 6A. Furthermore, the outerperimeter 140 of collector 104 may be bounded and guided by slot 120 inmanifold 102 to correctly position and orient collector 104 within slot120 of manifold 102. In another aspect of the present invention, a well142 may be fashioned within a bottom portion of each compartment 128 ofcollector 104. Well 142 may be shaped so as to contain seed portion 110for collection, retention, testing or otherwise. When collector 104 ispositioned within slot 120 of manifold 102, as shown in FIG. 6A,retained seed portion 32 may be communicated from aperture 20 in carrier14 through conduit 108 in manifold 102 into compartment 128 in collector104 along throughway 150. The retained seed portion 32 within aperture20 of carrier 14 is shown as seed 110 being communicated throughconduits 108 of the manifold 102 into well 142 within compartments 128of collector 104. Each seed portion 110 within each compartment 128 ofcollector 104 may be uniquely identifiable and/or positionallyaddressable so as to coordinate with each uniquely identifiable and/orpositionally addressable carrying position 22 in carrier 14. Thus, it ispreferred that each compartment 48, 128 in compartment layer 18 andcollector 104 may be uniquely identifiable and/or positional addressableby coordinating these positions with the carrying position 22 in thecarrier 14 so that viable seed portion 42 within compartment 48 ofcompartment layer 18 and seed portion 110 within compartment 128 ofcollector 104 may be correlated and traced back to the original seed 34positioned within carrier 14 at each carrying position 22 uniquelyidentified and/or positioned addressable by a row/column system orotherwise.

FIGS. 6A-B and 7C-D show an exemplary embodiment of a tool to removeretained seed portions 32 from their respective carrying position 22within carrier 14. Tool 152 shown in FIGS. 6A-B has a plate 154 withplural perpendicularly extending members 156. The plural perpendicularlyextending members 156 are ganged on plate 154 having the sameconfiguration as the plurality of apertures 20 in carrier 14. Tool 152may have a handle for manual or automated operation. The diameter of theplural perpendicularly extending members 156 may be sized accordingly tofit within apertures 20 within the carrier 14 so that retained seedportions 32 are brushed off and released from their respective carryingposition 22 within carrier 14. The plural perpendicularly extendingmembers 156 may be formed of any material suitable for removing retainedseed portions 32 and any residual matter that may have adhered to thecarrier 14 during the seed ablation process. For example, the pluralperpendicularly extending members 156 may be a brush made from anelastomer material, copper wire, or the like. Depending on the number ofperpendicularly extending members 156 ganged on the plate member, thetool may be used to perform the aforementioned operation on some or allof the apertures 20 in carrier 14 at once. For example, FIGS. 7C-D showsa similar tool 160 with 96 perpendicularly extending members 164 gangedto plate 162. Tool 160 could be used to remove all retained seedportions 32 at once. To insure the retained seed portion 32 does notbecome trapped between one of the plural perpendicularly extendingmembers 156, 164, and the sidewall of the carrier 14 or manifold 102,and spacer plate 170 and reducer plate 180, as shown in FIGS. 8A-9C, maybe used in combination with manifold 102 as shown in FIG. 7C. In thisaspect of the invention, carrier 14 is docked on top of spacer plate 170using alignment/docking apertures 174. Spacer plate 170 is in-turndocked on top of reducer plate 180 using alignment/docking apertures184. As best illustrated in FIGS. 7C and 8A-B, spacer plate 170 hasconduits 172 having the same configuration as apertures 20 in carrier14. The diameter of each conduit 172 in spacer plate 170 is larger thanthe diameter of the apertures 20 in carrier 14. The greater diameter ofconduits 172 allows retained seed portions that may become trappedbetween a perpendicularly extending member 156, 164 and the sidewall ofaperture 20 in carrier 14 to release and not be drawn back out of thecarrier 14 when tool 152, 160 is removed. Reducer plate 180, as bestillustrated in FIGS. 7C and 9A-C, has plural apertures 182 in identicalconfiguration to conduits 172 in spacer plate 170. Each aperture 182 hastapered sidewalls 186, as best shown in FIG. 9C, to provide a seamlesstransition from the larger conduit 172 diameter of the spacer plate 170to smaller conduit 108 diameter of manifold 102. The reducer plate 180ensures that retained seed portions 32, removed from their respectivecarrying position 22 in carrier 14, do not get caught-up at some pointin their downward transition between the space plate 170 and manifold102.

FIGS. 12-16B disclose another exemplary apparatus 200 of the presentinvention. Apparatus 200 includes the aforementioned carrier 14 which isdockable on the top surface 228 of manifold 210, as best illustrated inFIG. 12. Manifold 210 has a plurality of conduits 212 being configuredin similar spaced relation to each other as apertures 20 in carrier 14.Conduits 212 extend through the entirety of manifold 210 and have thesame diameter as apertures 20 in carrier 14, as is best illustrated inFIG. 15. Thus, when carrier 14 is docked on top of manifold 210,apertures 20 in carrier 14 are in communication with conduits 212 inmanifold 210. Each row of conduits 212 in manifold 210 has a partitionmember 214. Partition member 214 is a thin planar strip that may haveone contoured or beveled edge 224, as shown in FIG. 15. Partition member214 is preferably positioned within a row of conduits 212 so thatbeveled edge 224 extends sufficiently above the top surface 228 ofmanifold 210 so that beveled edge 224 is positioned closely adjacentseed 34 in carrier 14, as best illustrated in FIG. 15. Partition member214 is also preferably perpendicularly oriented relative the top surface228 of manifold 210. One skilled in the art will appreciate that thebeveled edge 224 and/or the partition member 214 may be positioned ororiented relative to the top surface 228 in a non-coplanar ornon-perpendicular arrangement. Partition member 214 forms a firstpartition 216 and second partition 218 within each conduit 212 as shownin FIG. 13B. A slot 226 is configured longitudinally along an axisparallel to the top surface 228 within manifold 210. Outer edges of slot226 run adjacent sidewalls 236 from the front 232 and terminate adjacentthe back 234 of manifold as illustrated in FIGS. 15-16B. A shelf plate202 having a sheet body 204 is configured to slide in and out of slot226 in manifold 210. Shelf plate 202 has apertures 206. Apertures 206are configured in shelf plate 202 so that when positioned within slot226, apertures 206 are aligned with each first partition 216 of conduits212 in manifold 210. Aligning apertures 206 in shelf plate 202 with eachfirst partition 216 in manifold 210 provides a throughway 220 throughconduit 212 when the shelf plate 202 is positioned within slot 226 asbest illustrated in FIG. 15. Although shelf plate 202 leaves the firstpartition 216 of each conduit 212 open, the second partition 218 of eachconduit 212 is occluded by shelf plate 202. When shelf plate 202 isremoved from slot 226 in manifold 210, both first 216 and second 218partitions within conduit 212 are open providing a throughway throughmanifold 210 from the top surface 228 through the body of the manifold210 and out the bottom surface 238. FIG. 16A-B show how manifold 210 isfashioned with a slot 222 in the bottom surface 238 to accommodate theaforementioned and described jig 16 holding compartment layer 18. Thejig 16 and compartment layer 18 may be slide in and out of slot 222 inmanifold 210. The plurality of wells 142 in the compartment layer 18 areconfigured to match the plurality of conduits 212 within manifold 210 sothat each conduit 212 at the bottom surface 238 opens into one of thewells 142 in compartment layer 18.

Method

FIG. 1 discloses one exemplary aspect of the method of the presentinvention using one or more of the previously described apparatuses forpositioning and orienting seed for creating, partitioning, sorting,handling, collecting and indexing seed and viable seed portions or thelike from plant seed. The method shown by the apparatuses in FIG. 1teach in the broadest sense, in one aspect, positioning and orientingseed in a predetermined orientation using a carrier 14 for removing aseed portion from each seed in an efficient, non-lethal,non-contaminating and high throughput manner. In another aspect,handling, collecting and indexing the seed and seed portions(post-sampling) in an efficient, non-lethal, non-contaminating and highthroughput manner.

In one exemplary method of the present invention, plant seeds 34 arecoated with a magnetically responsive material 80 using an applicator82, such as a spray can or gun, brush or the like. FIG. 1 illustratesone aspect of the present invention wherein kernels or plant seeds 34are left intact on an ear of corn 84 and coated with magneticallyresponsive material 80. Corn seeds 34, while on the ear of corn 84, areall oriented in the same manner relative to the cob and each other withthe crown portion of each seed 34 being exposed for application ofmagnetically responsive material 80. It should be appreciated that eventhough the present invention describes coating seeds 34 while stillattached, seeds 34 could be coated with magnetically responsive material80 after being removed. One example of a magnetically responsivematerial 80 suitable for coating the crown portion of seeds 34 isiron-based coatings such as an iron-based paint or the like.Commercially available materials such as MAGNAMAGIC′S ACTIVE wallmagnetic paint or KRYLON′S magnetic spray paint could be used to coatseeds 34 in the manner previously described. Singulated seeds 34 withmagnetically responsive material 80 are distributed within the pluralityof apertures 20 in carrier 14. Seed orienter 24, such as a magnetpositioned between sidewalls 26 of the pair of apertures 20, orientsseeds 34 relative to each aperture 20 of the carrier 14 at carryingposition 22. In a preferred form, a magnet is positioned in a similarlocation between each pair of apertures 20 in the carrier 14 so eachseed 34 is oriented within carrier 14 in each row 28 in the sameposition relative to the carrying position 22 within aperture 20 of thecarrier 14, as best illustrated in FIG. 3. Many of seeds 34 willautomatically orient themselves relative to the carrying position 22within each aperture 20 of the carrier 14 by virtue of the magnet orseed orienter 24. Carrier 14 may also be agitated up and down, back andforth, or otherwise to promote attachment and proper orientation of eachseed 34 relative to the carrying position 22 within each aperture 20. Inthis manner, each aperture 20 of carrier 14 is loaded with a properlyoriented, aligned and positioned seed 34.

In another aspect of the present invention, manifold 12 is docked withinan ablation device 36. Ablation device 36 may be any device capable ofablating seed 34. For example, as previously discussed, ablation device36 may be a laser engraver having a laser 88 emitting a laser beam 46 asshown in FIG. 3. In the case where the ablation device 36 is a laser,the present application contemplates that the laser could be a dual headlaser, multi-head laser, galvo head laser, or any other suitable laserplatform. As previously discussed, manifold 12 may have a bottom surface72 having features suitable for docking manifold 12 within the ablationdevice 36. For example, bottom surface 72 of manifold 12 could havealignment pins, level adjustments and/or indicators to keep manifold 12true and in the desired position within ablation device 36. Withmanifold 12 positioned within ablation device 36, as shown in FIG. 1,carrier 14 having seeds 34 within each aperture 20 may be docked withmanifold 12, as shown in FIG. 3. Alignment pin 66 may be used tocorrectly dock carrier 14 with manifold 12 so that the plurality ofapertures 20 in carrier 14 are aligned and in communication with theplurality of conduits 38 in manifold 12. The compartment layer 18,supported by jig 16, may be loaded into manifold 12 by inserting intothe slot 58, as shown in FIG. 1. Jig 16 may have self-positioning and/orlocating features, such as notch corner 52 to ensure that the pluralityof compartments 48 within compartment layer 18 align and are incommunication with the plurality of conduits 38 in manifold 12 when thecompartment layer 18 and jig 16 are inserted within slot 58. Withcarrier 14 properly docked on manifold 12 and compartment layer 18 andjig 16 properly inserted within slot 58 of manifold 12, a throughway 86is created as shown in FIG. 3 whereby viable seed portions 42 may becommunicated from each carrying position 22 within aperture 20 of thecarrier 14 through the plurality of conduits 38 into each compartment 48of the compartment layer 18. With having the manifold 12, carrier 14,jig 16, and compartment layer 18 securely positioned within ablationdevice 36, the process of seed ablation may be started. For example, aspreviously discussed, the ablation device 36 may have an energy beam 46,such as a laser beam, that travels longitudinally across row 28 at aspecified or programmed distance away from carrying position 22 so thatseed 34 is ablated using energy beam 46. Alternatively, manifold 12 withcarrier 12 could be moved relative to laser 88 having some fixedlocation in the ablation device 36. After ablation occurs, viable seedportions 42 fall from the carrying position 22 within each aperture 20through the plurality of conduits 38 in manifold 12 coming to restwithin the plurality of compartments 48 in compartment layer 18.Retained seed portion 32 is held at the carrying position 22 within eachaperture 20 of carrier 14, as best illustrated in FIG. 3. Due to thecontour of sidewalls 40 of conduit 38 in manifold 12, energy beam 46 isdiffused as shown at 44 in FIG. 3, which prevents destruction, fatiguingor failure of compartment layer 18, as well as damage to seed or seedportions to maintain viability. By passing the ablation device 36 overthe individual rows 28 and columns 30 of the carrier 14, viable seedportions 42 are created and communicated into each compartment 48 of thecompartment layer 18 while retained seed portions 32 are kept at eachcarrying position 22 within aperture 20 of carrier 14. Each viable seedportion 42 is uniquely identifiable and/or positional addressable withineach compartment 48 of compartment layer 18. Furthermore, each viableseed portion 42 within each compartment 48 of compartment layer 18corresponds with and is traceable back to each aperture 20 withincarrier 14. Filled with viable seed portions 42, compartment layer 18and jig 16 may be removed from slot 58 in manifold 12. Furthermore,carrier 14 may be undocked from manifold 12 having retained seedportions 32 at each carrying position 22 within aperture 20 of carrier14, as best illustrated in FIG. 1. Manifold 12 may be reloaded withanother carrier 14 having seeds 34 properly positioned and oriented ineach aperture 20 of the carrier 14. A new compartment layer 18 with ajig 16 may be inserted in slot 58 to perform the ablation process on anew set of seeds 34.

Having retained seed portions 32 in carrier 14, the carrier 14 is dockedon manifold 102, as best illustrated in FIG. 6, to recover the retainedseed portions 32 within each aperture 20. Similar to manifold 12,manifold 102 may have alignment pins 112 or other self-orienting anddocking features adapted to correctly orient and dock carrier 14 withrespect to manifold 102. A collector 104, as previously described, isdocked within slot 120 of manifold 102. Preferably, collector 104 hasself-orienting and positioning features, such as notch corner 138, socollector 104 may be properly oriented and positioned with respect tomanifold 102. With carrier 14 properly docked on manifold 102 andcollector 104 properly positioned under the bottom surface 124 ofmanifold 102, a throughway 150 is formed whereby retained seed portions32 at carrying positions 22 within each aperture 20 of the carrier 14may be passed into a plurality of compartments 128 within collector 104,as best illustrated in FIG. 7A. The present invention contemplates manyways for communicating retained seed portions 32 from carrying position22 within each aperture 20 of the carrier 14 to the plurality ofcompartments 128 in collector 104. For example, in one aspect of thepresent invention, if magnets are used as the orienting feature or seedorienter 24, the magnets may be demagnetized or deactivated so as torelease retained seed portions 32 whereby retained seed portions 32 fallfrom the carrying position 22 within aperture 20 through the pluralityof conduits 108 in manifold 102 and into the plurality of compartments128 within collector 104 to be collected within well 142 near the bottomsurface 136 of collector 104. In another aspect of the presentinvention, as further illustrated in FIGS. 6A-B and 7A-C, a tool 152,160 such as a brush, scraper, or prefabricated device having fingerssuitable for inserting within apertures 20 of the carrier 14 may be usedto scrape, remove, or displace retained seed portions 32 from carryingpositions 22. For example, a plate member 154, 162 having one or more,or a gang of perpendicularly extending members 156, 164 such as a brush,sponge, elastomer member, or other seed displacing member, may beadapted to displace the retained seed portions 32 from carryingpositions 22. In one embodiment, the tool 160 may include a plate member162 configured with 96 perpendicularly extending members 164 tocorrespond with the pattern and number of apertures 20 in the carrier14. In another aspect, the tool 152 may have a plate member 154configured with a fewer number of perpendicularly extending members 156to displace retained seed portions 32 from only a portion of the totalnumber of apertures 20 at a time, such as would facilitate quick,efficient and accurate displacement of retained seed portions 32 fromthe carrying positions 22 in the carrier 14. In still another aspect,the plurality of conduits 108 in manifold 102 could be larger indiameter than the apertures 20 in carrier 14 to ensure that retainedseed portions 32 are displaced into the plurality of conduits 108 andnot bound-up or caught between the perpendicularly extending members 156and the sidewalls 26, 126 of the plurality of apertures 20 or conduits108. For example, carrier 14 could be docked on top of spacer plate 170which is in-turn docked on top of reducer plate 180 which may in-turn bedocked on top of manifold 102. Inserting perpendicularly extendingmembers 156, 164 into apertures 20 in carrier 14 and conduits 108 inmanifold 102 should release retained seed portions 32 from carrier 14.However, depending on size, retained seed portions 32 may get trappedbetween conduit 108 wall and perpendicularly extending members 164, 174.Thus, retained seed portions 32 may be drawn out of the carrier 14 withperpendicularly extending members 164, 174 when removed from withinapertures 20 in carrier 14 and conduits 108 in manifold 102. To ensureretained seed portions 32 are released downward into conduits 108, aplate having conduits larger in diameter than apertures 20 in carrier14, such as spacer plate 170, may be used in combination with a platethat transitions in diameter from the diameter of the larger conduits tothe diameter of conduits 108 in manifold 102, such as reducer plate 180.In the preferred form, conduits 172 in spacer plate 170 would have alarger diameter than the perpendicularly extending members 156, 164 sothat retained seed portions 32 would release from the perpendicularlyextending members 156, 164 once moved into the larger diameter conduits172 in spacer plate 170. After the retained seed portions 32 arereleased they would transition downward through conduits 172 and reducerplate 180 into conduits 108 in manifold 102. The tapered sidewall 186allows retained seed portions 32 falling through conduit 172 in spacerplate 170 to transition smoothly from the larger diameter conduit 172 tothe smaller diameter conduit 108 in manifold 102 thereby preventing seedfrom getting hung-up on their descent into collector 104. The presentinvention further contemplates semi-automatic and fully automaticoperation, in addition to the possibility of manually operating tool152, 160. One skilled in the art could appreciate the ease of whicheither tool 152, 160 could be configured to automatively move in and outof apertures 20 in carrier 14 to release retained seed portions 32 fromcarrier 14 to meet the high throughput objectives of the presentinvention. Thus far tools 152, 160 have been discussed in the context ofseed removal, but tools 152, 160 would also serve to help clean andpreserve a non-contaminated environment within apertures 20 in carrier14 and conduits 108 in manifold 102, conduits 172 in spacer plate 170,apertures 182 in reducer plate 180, conduits 38 in manifold 12, andconduits 212 in manifold 210 for each set and subsequent set of seed andseed sample portions in keeping with another objective of the presentinvention to prevent contamination. The present invention contemplates,in addition to the aforementioned methods provided to displace retainedseed portions 32, that forced air may be used to urge the retained seedportions 32 from the carrying position 22 within the aperture 20 throughconduit 108 into compartment 128 of the collector 104. Seed portions 110passing through the plurality of conduits 108 and manifold 102 arecollected within the plurality of compartments 128 of the collector 104.Each seed portion 110 is uniquely identifiable and/or positionallyaddressable by row 130, column 132 or other indicia positioned on thetop surface 134 of collector 104. Thus, seed portion 110 within well142, located and positioned in row 1, column 1, may be correlated withor traced back to viable seed portion 42 collected in row 1, column 1 ofcompartment 48 in compartment layer 18. Collector 104 may be removedfrom the bottom side 124 of manifold 102 having seed portions 110 of theoriginal seed 34 contained within each well 100 of the collector 104.Manifold 102 may be reloaded with another carrier 14 having retainedseed portions 32 and a new collector 104 for collecting seed portions110.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, carrier 14 with seed 34may be docked on the top surface 228 of manifold 210 having shelf plate202 inserted within slot 226 as shown in FIG. 12. Manifold 210 (withoutjig 16 and compartment layer 18) may than be positioned within anablation device 36, such as the laser engraver shown in FIG. 1, or anyabating or sampling device suitable for ablating seed 34 in carrier 14in an efficient and high throughput manner. For example, the ablationdevice 36 could use high energy streams of air, water, gas, particles orother matter to ablate seed 34 in carrier. The present invention is notlimited in scope to use of high energy light (e.g., laser) to createseed portions from seed. Once manifold 210 is positioned within ablationdevice 36 the aforementioned process of ablating seed may be performed.The energy beam 46 from laser 88 ablates seed 34 in carrier, passesthrough the first partition 216 separated from the second partition 218by partition member 214 (See FIG. 13B), exits from manifold 210 out thebottom surface 238, and is diffused upon impact of bed 230 of theablation device 36 as best illustrated in FIG. 15. Once the seed 34 isablated, seed portion 42 falls into second partition 218 coming to reston shelf plate 202. The present invention appreciates that highthroughput ablation techniques, although efficient, may pose a danger toseed 34, retained seed portions 32 and viable seed portion 42 if care isnot taken to insure the high energy matter used to ablate seed 34 isdiffused in a manner after ablation to prevent it from being reflected,deflected, or ricocheted back into contact with other unablated seed 34(e.g., seed being ablated as well as other unablated seed in anotheraperture 20 of carrier 14), retained seed portions 32, or viable seedportion 42. Manifold 210 ensures seed 34, retained seed portion 32 andviable seed portion 42 are protected during the ablation process. Thisis accomplished by partition member 214 and shelf plate 202 (See FIG.14) in manifold 210 as shown in FIG. 13A. Partition member's 214 bevelededge 224 positioned closely adjacent seed 34 in carrying position 22 incarrier 14, as best illustrated in FIG. 15. Energy beam 46 passesthrough seed medium and upon exiting seed medium passes immediatelybehind partition member 214 into first partition 216 of conduit 212.Viable seed portion 42, when detached from retained seed portion 32,falls into second partition 218 and comes to rest on shelf plate 202.Thus, any stray, reflected, deflected or ricocheted portions of energybeam 46 are kept from re-contacting and harming viable seed portion 32by partition member 214 and shelf plate 202. Similarly, retained seedportions 32 are kept from harm by re-exposure to energy beam 46 becausefirst partition 216 is relatively small and presents little or noopportunity for reflected or deflected energy from passing back throughfirst partition 216 and coming into contact with retained seed portion32. Having ablated seed 34 in carrier 14, retained seed portions arestill at their respective carrying positions 22 in apertures 20 incarrier 14 and viable seed portions 42 are resting on shelf plate 202within the second partition 218 of manifold 210. Carrier may be removedfrom off of manifold 210 and retained seed portions removed, collectedand indexed according to the aforementioned details. Viable seedportions 42 are simply collected from manifold 210 by inserting jig 16with compartment layer 18 into slot 222. Once jig 16 with compartmentlayer 18 is inserted into slot 222, and each conduit 212 in manifold 210is in communication with a compartment 48 in compartment layer 18, shelfplate 202 is withdrawn from slot 226 out of manifold 210 as shown inFIGS. 16A-B. Viable seed portions 42 resting on shelf plate 202 are nowpermitted to continue in their descent through second partition 218 intocompartment layer 18 for storing viable seed portions 42 in an indexedmanner with respect to their retained seed portion 32 counterparts incollector 104. These same steps may be repeated by placing anothercarrier 14 with seed 34 on top of manifold 210, ablating seed 34,collecting viable seed portions 42 and retained seed portions 32, andindexing seed portions 42, 32 in respective containers 18, 104.

Once viable seed portions 42 and retained seed portions 32 have beenproperly indexed in compartment layer 18 and collector 104, compartmentlayer 18 and collector 104 can be taken to a location for furtherprocessing. In one example, retained seed portions 32 in collector 104would each be individually analyzed to obtain biochemical, genetic, orphenotypic information of interest. In one example, this process couldbe used as a part of a plant advancement experiment where genetic orphenotypic traits of interest are to be identified to decide whethercorresponding viable seed portions 42 has commercially valuable ordesirable genetic or phenotypic traits. The viable seed portions 42corresponding to the retained seed portions 32 can be easily and quicklyidentified by its corresponding index position in compartment layer 18and can be shipped to an experimental growing location where it can beplanted. As previously mentioned, the apparatuses, methods and systemsof the present invention are designed to have a substantially highprobability that viable seed portions 42 will germinate at the growinglocation.

One type of biochemical analysis could include a protein assay whichrequires protein extraction from the retained seed portions 32. Oneexample of protein extraction is P-PER® Plant Protein Extraction Kit(Pierce Biotechnology). Other examples involve common grinding aids suchas a mortar and pestle, Biomasher (Cartagen), or polypropylene pestle(Kontes) and a suitable extraction buffer. Other types of biochemicalanalysis could include oil or starch analysis. Still further types ofbiochemical analysis are possible and are well-known in the art.

One type of genetic analysis for the retained seed portions 32 is DNAextraction. One example of DNA extraction is standard Extract N Amp(Sigma-Aldrich) protocol (other examples include, e.g., standard CTABprotocol and HotShot methods). Other types of genetic analysis, such as,but not limited to, RNA analysis, are also possible and are well-knownin the art. Some analyses will include phenotype-based data in whichspecific seed morphologies are analyzed. A phenotype based analysis maybe accomplished spectroscopically under a variety of light wavelengths.Alternatively it could be done manually by observation. In thisscenario, the use of magnetically oriented seed allows the researcher toconsistently hold an individual seed with specific reference tomorphologies of interest. In this scenario the seed may be sampled orleft unsampled so the spectroscopic or manual observations may occur.Specific observations may include, but would not be limited to, seedcolor, opacity, starch content, oil content and seed shape. As wellknown in the art, a variety of other observations are possible.

Bar codes could be used and created for each compartment layer 18 andcollector 104 so that information about the contents of each can berecorded and stored and easily retrieved by scanning the bar codes.Commercially available equipment can be used for these functions andprogrammed to meet the needs of the application.

System

FIG. 1 discloses one exemplary aspect of the system of the presentinvention using one or more of the previously described apparatuses ormethods for positioning and orienting seed for creating, partitioning,sorting, handling, collecting and indexing seed and viable seed portionsor the like from plant seed. The system shown by the apparatuses andmethods of FIG. 1 teach in the broadest sense, in one aspect, a systemhaving a carrier or similar construct for positioning and orienting seedin a predetermined orientation. In another aspect, the system may alsoinclude an ablation device for removing a seed portion from each seed inthe carrier an efficient, non-lethal, non-contaminating and highthroughput manner. In still another aspect, the system may also includeone or more manifolds for handling sampled seed and seed portionspost-ablation. In yet another aspect, the system may also include acompartment layer and another collector for collecting and indexing theseed and seed portions in both to each other in an efficient,non-lethal, non-contaminating and high throughput manner.

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in methods andapparatuses, have been set forth in the drawings and specification, andalthough specific terms are employed, these are used in the genericallydescriptive sense only and are not used for the purposes of limitation.Changes in the formed proportions of parts, as well as in substitutionsof equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or renderedexpedient without department from the spirit and scope of the inventionas further defined in the following claims.

Any references in the Specification are herein incorporated by referencein their entirety.

1. A method for creating, handling and collecting seed portionscomprising: taking a carrier having one or more carrying positions;positioning and orienting a seed relative to the carrying position inthe carrier; ablating the seed with a seed ablation device; andcommunicating seed sample and sampled seed through manifolds intocollectors.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step ofcoating a crown portion of the seed with a magnetically active materialfor orienting the seed relative to the carrying positions in the carrierwith a magnet.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step ofdocking the carrier on top of the manifold and positioning the collectorwithin the manifold.
 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising thestep of a. removing collector with sampled seed from the manifold; b.retaining seed samples at the carrying positions; c. removing thecarrier with seed samples from off of the manifold; and d. docking thecarrier with a second manifold adapted to communicate seed samples atthe carrying positions into a collector by releasing seed samples fromthe carrying positions in the carrier.
 5. A method for creating,handling and collecting seed portions comprising: coating a crownportion of a seed with a magnetically responsive material; taking acarrier having one or more carrying positions; positioning and orientingthe crown portion of the seed relative to the carrying position in thecarrier with a magnet; ablating the seed with the seed ablation deviceto create a seed portion; communicating the seed portions through aplurality of conduits in a manifold into a plurality of compartments ina compartment layer; and retaining the other seed portions at thecarrying positions in the carrier for collection in a collector.
 6. Themethod of claim 5 further comprising the step of a. docking the carrieron top of the manifold whereby the carrying positions in carrier matewith the plurality of conduits in the manifold; and b. positioning thecompartment layer within the manifold.
 7. The method of claim 5 furthercomprising the step of removing the carrier having the plurality ofretained seed portions from the manifold for docking the carrier with asecond manifold adapted to communicate the plurality of retained seedportions from the carrying positions in the carrier into a plurality ofcompartments in the collector by releasing the plurality of retainedseed portions from the carrying positions in the carrier.
 8. A methodfor handling seed and seed portions removed from the seed in anefficient and high throughput manner, the method comprising: providing aseed manifold having a plurality of conduits there-through, a partitionmember dividing a portion of each conduit into first and secondpartitions, and a slot for accommodating a plate; docking a seed carrieron top of the seed manifold, the carrier having seed pre-positioned andpre-oriented within apertures in the seed carrier; ablating the seedwith a seed ablation device to create the seed portion; passing energyexiting the seed through the first partition out the bottom of the seedmanifold; and capturing the seed portion in the second partition toprevent inadvertent exposure to direct or reflected energy from the seedablation device.
 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step ofaligning a plurality of apertures in the plate with the second partitionin the seed manifold for creating a throughway for energy from theablation device to pass there-through.
 10. The method of claim 9 furthercomprising the step of inserting a compartment layer underneath the seedmanifold to align a plurality of compartments in the layer with theplurality of conduits in the seed manifold.
 11. The method of claim 10further comprising the step of: a. sliding the plate into the slot inthe seed manifold to close-off a portion of the second partition tocapture the seed portion ablated from the seed and prevent inadvertentcontact with energy from the ablation device; and b. sliding the plateout of the slot in the seed manifold to release seed portions within thesecond partitions into the plurality of compartments to collect the seedportions in the compartment layer.
 12. The method of claim 11 furthercomprising the step of removing the seed carrier with retained seedportions from the seed manifold for docking onto another manifold havinga plurality of conduits for communicating seed portions removed from thecarrier into a collector.
 13. The method of claim 8 further comprisingthe step of indexing the position of the sampled seed and respectiveseed portions in the compartment layer and collector.
 14. A system forcreating, handling, collecting and indexing seed and seed portionsremoved from the seed in an efficient and high-throughput manner, thesystem comprising: a seed ablation device adapted to sample a seed byremoving a seed portion from the seed; and a seed manifold having aplurality of conduits adapted to communicate the sampled seed into onecollector and seed portions into another collector.
 15. The system ofclaim 14 further comprising a seed carrier having a plurality ofapertures adapted to position and orient seed relative to the carrier,the seed carrier adapted to dock on top of the seed manifold.
 16. Thesystem of claim 14 further comprising another seed manifold having aplurality of conduits adapted to communicate seed portions retained withthe seed carrier into the collector having compartments indexed tocorrelate with the seed carrier and other collector.
 17. The system ofclaim 14 wherein the seed manifold further comprises: a. a partitionmember adapted to partition each of the plurality of conduits into firstand second partitions; and b. a slot extending longitudinallythere-through, the slot adapted to receive a plate with apertures,wherein a portion of the second partition closed-off by the plate isadapted to capture and separate the seed portion to prevent inadvertentcontact with energy from the ablation device.
 18. The system of claim 17wherein the apertures in the plate align with the first partition in theseed manifold to provide a throughway to pass energy from the seedablation device through to be diffused or absorbed outside of the seedmanifold to prevent reflected energy from damaging the seed or seedportion.
 19. The system of claim 18 wherein the partition member has avertical most edge, the vertical most edge being closely adjacent theunderside of the seed in the seed carrier whereby energy from theablation device exiting the seed passes immediately into the firstpartition formed by the partition member to prevent inadvertent contactof the seed or seed portion with reflected energy.
 20. The system ofclaim 14 wherein the seed manifold is adapted to receive a collector,wherein the seed portions in the second partition are moved into thecollector by removing the plate from the slot in the seed manifold.